Man faces rap in threat vs. judge hearing case of deliveryman’s killing
A man was criminally charged after making a veiled threat against the Queens judge who freed on bail the accused “Duck Sauce Killer” Glenn Hirsch, authorities said Tuesday.
Before Hirsch arrived at his bail hearing in Queens Criminal Court Monday, Chunhua Hu allegedly approached a court officer and said Judge Kenneth Holder better not release the suspected murder “otherwise he will have trouble,” court sources said.
Upon hearing the threat, the court officer took him into custody. Hu, 49, was ultimately charged with obstructing government administration and given a ticket to appear in court at a later date.
“I will hire a lawyer to defend me,” Hu told the Daily News Tuesday. His connection to the contentious case was not clear.
Holder granted Hirsch’s release into home confinement during the Monday hearing.
Hirsch’s brother posted the bail with a certified check, but the $500,000 came from Hirsch himself, according to the suspected killer’s lawyer, Michael Horn.
Local leaders and elected officials had spoken out in opposition to Hirsch’s pending release. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) said it was the “wrong decision” to release someone who was a “clear and present danger” to the community.
Police had said they would monitor Hirsch’s movements to make sure he doesn’t get close to the Great Wall restaurant in Forest Hills.
A flyer posted outside the restaurant paid tribute to the slain deliveryman and thanked the community for its support. Another flyer sought funds through GoFundMe to pay for a protective glass partition to shield the cashier.
Authorities say that Hirsch became enraged on Nov. 30 that he did not receive enough duck sauce with his take-home order from the Great Wall restaurant.
His frustration allegedly exploded on April 30 when he shot and killed Zhiwen Yan, 45, a wellliked deliveryman for the restaurant. Hirsch, who was arrested on June 2, has pleaded not guilty.
Detectives said Hirsch had been stalking Yan and other staff at the restaurant on Queens Blvd. for weeks before the shooting. Prosecutors described his demand for duck sauce as an “obsessive point of contention.”